Watch and Try to Learn
by TokehGecko
Summary: Drama/Angst/Romance, but, they don't have a Third Genre. It's about trying to understand one another. Chapter 3 is up!
1. Default Chapter

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Disclaimer: Although this certain part of a fanfic is often repeated, it must still remain to be included. Well, it is important to know that this story of mine needed an original story to exist. The original story being the Neon Genesis Evangelion SERIES and MOVIES, of course. All that is obviously not owned by me, since a genius mind was needed for such a magnificent creation. This fic will try to live up to the show, by my hands. If it does not, I have failed. And although it is only logical you can't get close to what the SERIES have reached considering respect, you'll have found self-respect by creating something like this. Not more is needed..

A/N: Two point of views, Rejection and Regret a great roll in the fic, and I hope I can let the two terms fuse and call it Romance. 

"….." This means speech, when someone says something to another, or in very weird, unlikely situations, like in Soaps, when someone talks to him or herself.

'…..' This means thoughts, you could fill an entire story with just thoughts. 

A figure moved about in the darkness of the living room. It moved quite carefully, almost frightened, but at the same time, a little shakily. The silhouette seemed to have reached its destination as it stopped at a door. But it didn't seem sure of its case, as hesitation was evident in its movement. It remained there for about five minutes, blending with the darkness.

After those five minutes, another figure entered the darkness. Though taller and definitely older than the previous, this one didn't move with hesitation, nor with carefulness. Though the shakily part of this entity exceeded the previous' one greatly. This one figure didn't notice the other as it remained completely still, and passed it. It released a loud burp however…

After a small ten minutes, the second figure returned from the bathroom it entered and didn't notice the first figure this time either. Entering its own room once again, the first figure was left to itself once more. Hesitation replaced the fear of getting spotted. But the figure seemed to be hastily this time, as its hand moved toward the doorknob. And by the turn of it, and the slight sound it created, it entered the room, breathlessly. 

The darkness in this room was even greater than in the previous one. Not just by appearance, but even more so by atmosphere. The figure stayed still in the room, adjusting to the darkness and trying to see what was present. After what seemed like two minutes to the person, it moved toward another person, who was lying in a bed. The sounds of soft music overwhelmed the sound of the snoring created by the figure. The one that entered the room loomed over the sleeping person on the bed. 

**Watch and Try to Learn**

- By TokehGecko

'The Third Children….'

Asuka Langley Sohryu, stood there, above the person called Ikari Shinji, in the darkness that was his room. Asuka narrowed her eyes, trying to see Shinji's face, to pinpoint it. To her it seemed it was even darker around Shinji's face than in the entire room.

'Tonight I will see it.' She paused as she looked at the clock positioned left from the bed. 'I'll definitely see it… Plenty of time left..'

Asuka remained completely silent, never moving an inch away. Her face was very close to Shinji's face as she tried to see something… there.

'Shinji…. Why… is it, that I don't understand you? You seem weak, defenceless and sometimes even utterly pathetic. You deserve your nickname 'Spineless Idiot', the nickname I myself have created. But…. that's not really what you are now, is it?'

Asuka groaned inwards as she distanced herself from Shinji's face and leaned against the wall with her back.

'All people…. I completely understand ALL people, well almost. I can read them, know how they will act in certain situations. You are one of few I don't understand, Third Child. But I will understand…. If not today, the day after…'

She went back to her previous position in the room, on her knees, to the side of the bed, close to the boy's face. As if she could read from the boy's facial expressions. If only she could see them in this black visage…

'If I turn the lights on, you'll wake up, won't you, Shinji? There is no other way then to give in and adjust to the darkness that surrounds the real you…. Man, that sounded deep…'

Asuka has done this ever since Shinji had saved her from the lava in the volcano. She saw that one expression, that one, he would never ever show in the presence of others. She wondered if she could see that look on his face again, to see if she liked that look. But it could only be viewed upon when he was totally alone. What better time than this? But Asuka found out that Shinji's room blocked light completely, and thus, she could not see it easily. And on top of that, she could not resort to light, because Shinji is a light sleeper, a single whisper could almost wake him up. And Shinji never fell asleep on the couch in the living room. Much to Asuka's displeasure. 

'Damn it, why does it have to be this hard?'

Asuka recalled the first time she came in Shinji's room to spot 'The Look', and she refused to stay in the dark. So she put on the light in total silence, only to watch how Shinji jumped awake, luckily for her, she could run out of the room, after quickly opening and shutting the door. To her delight, Shinji still needed time to fully wake up. But, man, was she scared to get caught…

'Damn you Shinji, you'd think, someone with that thick of a skull, would be quite clueless to their surroundings. Another thing I don't understand from you.'

Asuka herself didn't understand why she went through all this trouble, just to see one singe expression from a boy she was sure she disliked. It was just because of the volcano-rescue thing. That look would always haunt her, because it was a look that was impossible to appear on a face of a person like Shinji. But it did, and it bothered her to no end that it did. The real problem however was that the mending from that look and Shinji's sad face….. was truly stunning…

'I don't understand you Shinji…. Why did you save me? Your EVA didn't have the right equipment, you could've died. Would you sacrifice yourself to save others in danger? Even if that person….. is me?' Asuka paused in deep thoughts 'You truly are an idiot then, Shinji. But… I could come to like that idiot…' 

An hour went by, and Asuka was still trying to observe Shinji's features. A few light rays from the morning sun were beginning to shine inside. But that alone could only be seen underneath Shinji's sliding door. Even if it were a bright shiny day, it would still be pitch black inside Shinji's room. 

'I hate… ..your room, Shinji.'

Asuka looked at the clock, and, yawned. She noticed the mistake and quickly put her hand before on her mouth.

'Thank god you sleep with those ear buds in your ears.'

Asuka rose from the ground and walked toward the exit. With one last glance and one last thought she left the room in utter silence.

'One day I'll find that look….. Idiot-Shinji… And I'll grasp it all forever in my memory. Instead of just a glimpse…'

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'Look at her…. How can she act like she has no problems in this world at all?'

Shinji was seated on the ground by the table, while Asuka was watching TV, three meters before him. He was watching the back of her head.

'I wonder…. what her childhood was like…'

All Shinji could remember from his own childhood was.. no parents, no love, no friends, no fun.. no.. anything. He can't even remember what his mother looked like. He couldn't remember what his father looked like, until he saw him when he first arrived in Tokyo-III. 

'Asuka.. She never talks about her parents… But then again, neither do I. I don't know anything about Asuka. Only that she doesn't like me. I don't know anything about Rei either, I was even slapped by her once. And slapped I was by Asuka too.. I… They just don't like me…'

Shinji ate a bit of what he prepared for himself. Naturally, it was ramen. During his eating, he watched as Asuka watched a comedy show on TV. She laughed every once in awhile. Unlike Shinji, Asuka laughed loudly, with no shame whatsoever to the people around her.

'Of course, if you look like that, there's no need to be insecure…' 

If one thing, Asuka was beautiful. Sure, she was also so damn aggressive, especially to him, but man, was she beautiful. She would occasionally and absentmindedly play with a few locks of her hair, while watching TV. Every hair on her head moved with her as she moved, it framed her face and her body perfectly. Shinji was no pervert, he just… appreciated beauty. 

But Asuka's personality was a total letdown. There was no way Shinji could like someone that would constantly beat him up and insult him every second of every minute of every hour and so on and so on. Just the thought of spending an entire day alone with her, gave him the urge to stuff one of Misato's FULL beer cans in his left eye. But he wondered if that pain could even be compared to Asuka's wrath.

'Asuka really is unbeatable… but.. if only I could be more like her..'

Shinji watched Asuka from behind, as she was seated on the ground in front of the TV, and started thinking more about the auburn-haired girl 

'I've never seen Asuka depressed actually.. Not really. Only when she can't have more training with her Eva, or when Kaji declines one of her date offers. But that's not real. It's more disappointment than sadness. She is much, much stronger than me. Is the fire that's burning in her eyes a fake? Or is it really the burning desire to fight? To win? Is she genuinely happy to fight in her Eva?'

"Shinji?" Asuka spoke, for the first time.

"Idiot!?" Asuka said, louder this second time.

Shinji was ripped away from his thoughts as Asuka called his name.

"What are you staring at me for, idiot?"

Shinji's eyes widened, he seemed to have lost eyesight during his thinking. "Ah, sorry, Asuka."

"Moron, make me something to eat."

"Uh.. Will do.."

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Big A/N, Sorry:

Well, what did you think? Not a lot of Romance here, huh? Ok, no Rejection or Regrets either, but that will come in the next chapter. I've read a few fics where Asuka rejects Shinji and vice versa because of their own past and their own situation. I'll be trying to insert a lot of understanding before a REAL confrontation between the two occurs. Of course, angst will be present, there is just no other way... for me, that is. I know this has been done before, but I'll try to make it as different from the others as I can.

Ok, I feel I have to tell you about something. It's about two fics of mine, one is the follow-up, of the other, actually. I released the follow-up on purpose to see what people thought of it without having read Payback Time. The follow-up being Dark Happiness. But, I'll be completely changing Dark Happiness of course, since it would only be boring for Payback Time's plot, if you already know what's going to happen. So, in other words, Dark Happiness, or that certain idea, wasn't too well received, so I'm gonna try and improve it and just give it my best shot. But, Thank Heavens, I already have an idea for a follow-up for Payback Time, a little different from Dark Happiness. Ending Payback Time won't be a problem, I've got the ideas all ready, the only thing left, are my fingers, and their will to cooperate with me considering typing. 

But I do think I'll be updating on my homepage first from now on, since I'm really busy with it… well, it's not much to look at right now…not pretty, -_-', Oh well. 

I'll put up the complete Forgive or Forget fic, with two different endings on here as soon as I can, as soon as I put those last (lot) senses beneath what I have already typed.

And To Start Over will be following the Seven Deadly Sins, which would be pretty interesting, especially with this next angel. An idea was rammed in my head thanks to Steve Vader, a, heh, a long time ago…^_^' 

Oh, I'm gonna take Sunsets off FF.net, cause I just can't think ahead for that story. For the ones that read it: Asuka's husband would be someone who was, freakishly, a lot like Shinji.

Well, sorry for the inconvenience, Please review!! I would like to know what you thought about it.

Farewell,

TokehGecko


	2. Default Chapter

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Disclaimer: Well, I'll leave the disclaimer as it, so just read the previous chapter if you wanna see it.

A/N: Well, it seemed so empty to just start the story, but, no author's notes, maybe at the end of the chapter. Oh, thanks for the reviews so far!

"….." Speech

'…..' Thoughts

Shinji was still seated by the table. After he made something to eat for Asuka, and she began to ate it, he went back to sitting on the same spot. After a while he got bored and sat in front of the TV, not beside Asuka. She would simply kill him if he even tried. The Soap Asuka was watching was very boring. Shinji watched the first few minutes with real interest. A man walked into a room, where a woman was held hostage by another woman. Strange enough, both woman screamed at the man to get out. The man tried to reason with them, but the one woman with the gun shot him down immediately. With a lot of commotion and drama the man spoke his last words before he died a death. Shinji just couldn't understand why people liked this kind of stuff.

'Even I find this stupid…'

Shinji wondered why Asuka watched this. 

'Must be a thing only for girls.'

But Shinji never saw Misato watch soaps, he never saw Misato watch TV at all. 

'I wonder what Misato does all the time?'

Of course, that was answered immediately, after a second of thinking.

'I wonder why Misato drinks beer all the time?'

Shinji took a careful glance at Asuka's direction. What he saw, made his eyes widen..

'She's…. asleep?'

**Watch And Try To Learn**

- By TokehGecko

Shinji watched the form of the red-haired girl on the couch, slouched over the sides. Most of her hair had fallen over her cheek, but her mouth, nose and eyes were still visible. She was breathing silently and her expression was, well, kind of non-existent. There was no happiness, nor sadness present. Shinji watched Asuka's face more carefully, trying to find traces of the girl that so often berates him. But the girl before him seemed so different, so… free..

'Asuka..' Shinji blinked one time, careful and quickly, to capture all that was Asuka, "You really are beautiful.."

Shinji swallowed as he quickly turned back to the TV, afraid that Asuka might catch him staring at her. But the TV was just not as interesting as the young woman. Especially considering what was on now. The remote control was currently placed between Asuka's fingers.

'Great… just great..' 

It would almost seem these were signs to tell him to look at Asuka. Shinji shook his head to shake that thought out of his head. Shinji would never dare to look at a girl for a full minute. Not even when she was asleep. 

'I wonder… how she does it.. I could never fall asleep like this, especially when I know someone else is in the same room. I even had troubles sleeping in my current room when I had just moved in here. Asuka really is afraid of nothing, isn't she?'

Shinji was in deep thought as he watched the sleeping form on the couch, so he didn't notice when Asuka slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw, strangely enough, was Shinji, with a goofy grin plastered on his face.

"You Hentai!! You were thinking of taking advantage of me, weren't you!!?" It wasn't a question… quite the opposite..

Ten minutes later, Shinji stuck a band aid on his cheek.

'I am really a stupid, stupid, boy..'

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Shinji entered the classroom in the same way as he always did. Face down, eyes facing his shoes, occasionally drifting upwards to see where he was going, arms resting beside his body and mouth completely shut. Even when the jock and the war-freak started talking to him, that mouth of him remained shut. He would be walking ahead, while Toji and Kensuke walked behind him, still talking to him. Then he sat down at his desk and he let his shoulder completely lean forward. This much Asuka knew from her roommate and fellow Pilot. 

Even though it wouldn't seem that way, Asuka knew everything that she was able to find out about the young Ikari. His movements, his mood-swings during class, his predictable comments or answers if a teacher asked him why he was just… staring. But, Shinji, in his own, was something she still hasn't figured out yet. 

'When he's alone… I'll just have to catch him when he's alone…'

Asuka recalled that Shinji often takes walks around Tokyo-III, to be alone. Often after Angel Attacks or Synch tests.

'That's so boring… but intriguing at the same time…' Asuka looked at the boy in question, that had fallen asleep. 'I'll simply follow him.. Tonight we have a Synch Test anyway.'

The rest of the class was even more boring than talking with Rei over the rules of NERV, according to Asuka's opinion. 

'Now, it's shopping time!!' Asuka ran over to Hikari as the bell rang.

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"Shinji, concentrate a little harder, you're a few points under your previous score." Ritsuko spoke through the microphone. 

Shinji opened his eyes at the time Ritsuko spoke up, listened to her words, nodded as she ended, and closed his eyes again, this time thinking a little less about his life. 

'There is just not a right time, when in NERV, to think about anything else than to fight a war..'

As the test had ended, Asuka having the highest score as always, and Shinji catching up to her, Shinji walked toward the changing rooms with his head down. He was a little happy to hear Ritsuko's words of praise, and a little happier to hear Misato's. He flinched as Asuka made a sharp remark, as she compared herself with him, and she called him inferior. 

'Oh well, as much could be expected from Asuka.'

Rei was as silent as she ever was. Shinji watched her as she walked in front of him, also toward the changing rooms. Shinji had stopped trying to understand Rei a long time ago. Well, at least, he tried to. Whenever Rei was present, in his view, or the topic of a conversation, Shinji always seemed to wonder about the blue-haired girl. Why she was always so silent, even more silent than him. 

'Could she have had an even worse childhood than me? Rei has proven herself to be strong, in some aspects, even stronger than Asuka'

But Rei is very withdrawn, that's how she appears to be to Shinji. 

'Withdrawn and very strong… That's all I know about you, Ayanami.'

After taking a shower, and getting in his clothes, Shinji walked toward the exit of NERV. He passed by Hyuga and Shigeru, greeted them, and stumbled into a pile of paper carrying Maya, who he greeted as well, this time with very small smile. 

'I'm going home and go to sleep… I'm too tired for anything else.'

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Asuka sighed as she noticed Shinji was heading nowhere else but home. She had followed him all the way back, she could have just walked WITH him, but no, she just couldn't have him find out she was following him.

'Ok, so now I know he doesn't always go for a walk after synch tests. Unpredictable little jerk…'

Asuka shook her head in annoyance as she entered the apartment a few minutes later than Shinji.

'Some day this has been..'

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Shinji pressed a few buttons on his SDAT Player, aggressively, for a change.

'Damn it!! It's not working! Why is it not working!?'

If there is one thing Shinji couldn't stand, it was when his SDAT refused to work. These times were really hard on Shinji, to him, they were really vexing. Sweat began to form on his forehead as he tried to make the thing work. After 15 minutes of trying to fix the thing, occasionally bashing on it, Shinji stopped. He stared hard at the SDAT.

'I don't like you right now…'

Shinji threw himself on the 'bed' on the ground and stared at his ceiling. 

'Now…. It's a familiar ceiling..'

Shinji frowned and turned to face the wall to his right

'There's no way I'm getting sleep right now…'

He rose from his feet and went for the door. Stepping outside, he noticed Asuka was watching another one of her soaps. She was completely absorbed into the TV, it seemed. Taking one last glance at her, he stepped out of the apartment.

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"Shinji-kun?"

Shinji looked up from his shoes, to his guardian, who just came out of the elevator. 

"Uuhh.. Hi.. Misato-san."

Misato smiled warmly at Shinji's shyness. "Where are you going, Shinji-kun?"

"I'm just….. going for a walk." Shinji said, afraid as if he wasn't supposed to.

Misato regarded him for a moment. "Well… Happy thinking, Shinji-kun."

Shinji watched Misato enter the apartment, and then just walked away.

'Yeah… I'm so obvious… so pitifully obvious.'

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"Hey."

Asuka was just about to get up when Misato came in. She frowned at her and greeted a short "Hi." Back.

Misato read Asuka's movement "You're going somewhere?"

Asuka sighed deeply. "Yeah. I'm gonna go to Hikari for a while."

Misato shrugged as she walked toward the kitchen and grabbed two beer cans. "Well, have fun, I guess."

Asuka simply left, without any reply or goodbye.

'Geez, everyone's gone.' Misato thought. 'I guess I can watch… TV… or…. Lay down on bed.'

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Asuka exited her apartment and soon ran toward the elevator. 'Ok, now let's see what you do when you walk away like that, Shinji.'

Asuka watched and saw one of the elevators was still headed downstairs. She stepped inside an available elevator.

'I don't even know why I'm doing this. Why I even want to understand that idiot. I'm Asuka, known by name throughout the world! Well, soon I'll be.. But why 'I' am following him like this is beyond me. I… guess I just want to know who Shinji really is.'

The elevator reached the floor Asuka wanted to be. Asuka saw Shinji leave the building in a slow pace. 

'He's so easy to follow..'

Asuka moved a stray of hair away from her left eye before she left the building as well.

'Asuka Langley Sohryu… has left the building..'

Shinji walked in a very slow pace. And although he was watching how his feet moved during his walking, he still avoided the people walking towards him and Asuka. Asuka, however, had more trouble dodging them, as she followed Shinji. 

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'Aah, Finally… Total silence… this is where I want to be..'

Shinji had just walked through a park, climbed a few hills which he had done before, since he didn't get himself dirty. After half and hour of climbing and avoiding big bushes and broad trees, Shinji stopped. 

'Here, I can think…'

Shinji's eyes widened as he heard the slightest sound of a leaf being stepped on. 

'I've been followed?'

Shinji turned around swiftly.

To be Continued

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A/N: Hehe, I hope you like this chapter! The first two chapters of this story are kind of the intro of Shinji and Asuka and their train of thoughts. But now, the angst will make his appearance, I'm afraid. I like this part of the story..

Oh, next chapter will be first up on my homepage, before I put it up here.


	3. Default Chapter

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Disclaimer: I don't own NGE, GAINAX and co. does.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!! I really appreciate them!

"I've been followed?!'

Shinji turned around as fast as he could as he heard the slightest sound behind him. As he turned around, he saw a faint hint of a figure hide itself quickly behind a tree. Shinji wondered briefly if it was just a figment of his imagination. But he was too sure he heard and saw something.

'Who would follow ME?'

Shinji moved slowly toward the tree. But something made him stop. 'What if it's someone dangerous?' But another thing made him move again. 'No matter, right? My father has security guards following us all around Tokyo-III… Maybe it's one of them?'

Shinji picked up his pace toward the tree, no longer afraid it's dangerous. 'I'll probably make a fool of myself right now…'

But the figure soon jumped from behind the tree, in Shinji's eyesight, but only for a split second, since it ran away immediately..

'A.. Asuka?'

**Watch and Try to Learn**

- by TokehGecko

Chapter 3

Shinji walked slowly back home, he was confused by the appearance of what looked like Asuka. 

'Was it really Asuka?'

Shinji shook his head as he passed a pair that was kissing each other while they were walking. Shinji looked sadly at them.

'That… I will never reach..'

A group of friends were yelling and laughing with and at each other on the side of the street as Shinji walked. His ears could detect the genuine joy emanating from their laughter. 

'Why… why would Asuka do… why would she even follow me? I bet it wasn't Asuka, or she was playing a sick joke on me, as always.'

Shinji tried to recall any 'nice' memories of discussion between him and Asuka. Shinji sighed deeply when he could only remember insults directed towards him, and injuries he inflicted. 

'No.. Asuka's only present to be the best here.. and to hurt me, I guess..' 

If there was one thing Shinji could never step in, it was dog shit. Shinji walked with his eyes directed towards the ground. He could even avoid stepping on any ants. if there were any… Second Impact… had been rough..

'I doubt it was Asuka… She would never do something like this… ' Shinji sighed sadly. 'Normally, she doesn't even notice me, it's like I'm not even present in the living room sometimes.' Shinji smiled sadly. 'Especially on the battle grounds.'

Shinji continued his trek home, never bothering to think about the fact that it really could have been Asuka.

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"Phew.. !'" Asuka breathed heavily, from relief and slowly dissipating fear of getting caught. 

'I almost got caught right there! Thank god he didn't see me!' 

Asuka had run away as fast as she could when she saw Shinji approaching him in the park. 

'That jerky brat has a good set of ears on him!'

After running for about ten minutes, in the direction of their apartment, Asuka had calmed down and found a great spot, in the shadow from a roof from an old building. There was no need to worry about old pervert trying to sneak up on her in the middle of the night. There were security guards watching her every movement, after all. 

'Damn…. Now I still haven't seen it. It's like I'm not allowed to see it.'

Asuka noticed a small spot of dirt on her school outfit. Considering the small puddles on the streets she had come across during her running, it had rained in the afternoon. It seems she had run through too many puddles and now her dress was dirty.

'Not that it matters… I have plenty of clothes..' Asuka seemed to pause about that certain thought. "Hmm, Hikari and I didn't really buy a lot today, however.."

As Asuka was thinking about buying new dresses and other similar things, Shinji rounded a corner and came in Asuka's eyesight. Asuka quickly hid in the shadow the roof created and watched as Shinji, ever so slowly, passed the spot where she was at. 

'If I go home now, and be quicker than Shinji, which is easy, he'll think it really was me in the park, and I have run straight back home. ' Asuka paused, as she balled her right hand into a fist, and leaned her face on it, leaning her right elbow on her knee. 'If I go home later than him, he'll think I hesitated and purposely went home later than him.'

Asuka rose from her feet and leaned against a wall a bit. 'I guess I'll head over to Hikari's place, maybe I can sleep there. That way, I can always say I was there all the time, should Shinji ask, if discovers some spine somewhere in his body.'

As Asuka began to walk toward away, and rounded the corner, she heard her name being spoken.

"Asuka?"

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Shinji walked forward in slow pace, he had grabbed his SDAT from his pocket, thinking he could fix it during his walking. He rammed on it with his fist, softly, a few times. But the 'Play'-Button just didn't seem to work. Shinji snarled at the thing in his hand.

'Jeez… I don't like this at all. Everything seems to backfire at me today.'

He decided to bash at his SDAT one more time, hoping this time it would work he hit it a little harder. But, Shinji, being the klutz that he is, dropped the SDAT to the ground. It landed on a brick that made the SDAT bounce backwards. Shinji had to turn around to grab it. When he had the SDAT back in his hands he noticed a figure appearing a few meters ahead. And the light from the lantern displayed it all perfectly.

"Asuka?" 

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She didn't know how this happened… Ok, she did know, but she didn't know it was going to turn out like this. To think she wouldn't be able to keep her countenance. Of course Shinji asked her if she had followed him. And as a natural response, for Asuka, her defences went way up. Somehow, Asuka could only recall Shinji's extremely sad face, as if he was about to cry, as he slowly turned around and walked home. It seems Asuka insulted him greatly in that certain conversation.

'Damn… I didn't want to see THAT look…'

Pity is feeling that shouldn't be expressed, Asuka always thought. If you feel pity for another, he or she is just not worthy of living, for their pride had already been wounded and it seems pity is only left after that. And to receive pity, is just the same. 

'I don't pity Shinji…. I just don't want to see THAT look anymore..'

Shinji's sad face repeated itself in Asuka's mind. Her screaming and cursing at him, and the facial change of expression in Shinji. Asuka turned around as Shinji walked away from her. She took a run for it, in the other direction.

'Damn…. _I_ made him look that way.'

But Asuka never considered Shinji's feelings… ever. Why should she now? 

'Hmm… It's partially my fault, I guess… But I shouldn't let it bother me this much. Shinji is an idiot who doesn't deserve a second glance, especially not from me.'

Asuka turned around in her bed and now faced the door instead of the wall. She decided not to worry about Shinji anymore and let her thoughts wander toward the subject clothes.

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Shinji had walked to all the spots of Tokyo-III he knew where he could be at ease. Now, though, the confrontation between him and Asuka haunted him. 

'I always knew…. she hated me… I think.. But why did she follow me? Was it to empathise on the fact she really did hate me? It couldn't be curiosity, no, not from her. But I didn'expect her to get so angry so quick. I just greeted her, like anyone would greet another when he or she was familiar to him or her. But, she slapped me… She slapped me twice, then she insulted me… called me names.. a lot of names.. I guess I shouldn't have asked her if she had followed me. Stupid….'

Shinji looked up to see a car drive by and an old man who waited for the car to pass by, who started walking. It was already getting late, but Shinji chose to not go home, sleep be damned..

'Asuka…. I don't know why you hate me so much.. Why you have to slap me all the time or why you have to insult me… But I don't want to try and understand you anymore…. It seems you slapped some sense in me… if it's called sense what I feel.'

After a little while, Shinji knocked on a door, since the bell didn't work, he recalled. After ten seconds or so, the door opened.

"Uhh.. Hi, Ayanami."

"Ikari-kun."

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'Jeeezz.. I'm alone…. Not that I care… but the idiot isn't home yet and Misato is working late.. again! And on top of that, the place is a complete mess… Shinji had better come home and clean it all up..'

Asuka's eyes were almost closed as she stared up at the television. Nothing great was on, but then again, it was already 1:34. All there was on now, was porn and news. Even the Music Channel was very boring, Asuka noted as she zapped.

'Music nowadays…'

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Asuka worried.. She didn't want to, but it was undeniable.

'Shinji hasn't come back yet… What if, he left Tokyo-III? No, for something like this, he wouldn't.'

Asuka bit her lower lip.

'He wouldn't.. I'll bet he is on his way home right now… In fact, I'll just wait until he comes home and yell at him for coming in so late!! Maybe I'll even say he woke me up by slamming the door shut or something.'

Asuka decided she would wait… But sleep caught her, after fifteen minutes.. She didn't have a happy look on her face, however.

And Shinji never came…

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'Well, I'll never understand either of them. No matter how hard I try to understand a little bit of them, they do something that's completely out of place. But.. Like I'm one to talk..'

Shinji observed Rei as she sat on a chair in the living room. He himself sat on the ground. He asked Rei if he could sleep here for the night. Rei simply nodded, let him in and sat on the only chair in the apartment. 

'Odd, really.. Now I'm here, alone with Rei in a very, grey, room, I don't feel uncomfortable. Well, a little bit, because of the silence. But, I like silence, and I'm betting so does Rei.'

Shinji frowned as he stared at Rei for a moment.

'Now that I think of it. We are somewhat… alike. Strange.. She's not very adept.. at living..' Shinji thought recalling something Ritsuko once said. 'Maybe I'm not adept at living either.. ?' Shinji frowned deeply. 'Yeah.. In some ways… I'm even the same as my father..'

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Asuka woke up, slowly opening her eyes. The first thing she saw was a purple mess on the floor next to her. 

'Again?? Damned Misato always goes for a few drinks after work..'

Asuka rose from the small red couch, evaded a few beer cans Misato dropped and, strangely enough, went to Shinji's door.. 

'Hmm, if he's awake, my excuse will be… "Make Dinner!" or something like that..'

To her surprise however, there was no Shinji in Shinji's bed.

'Wha.. But where?'

Asuka turned around and picked Misato up from the floor. Not entirely, but mostly just her head.

'Jeez, what a horrible wannabe-mother you are…' 

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A/N: Sorry, but still not much angst.. A few things had to happen otherwise it would simply be dumb to just put angst in the fic. So, next chapter will be angsty, I promise!! If not, you can smack me a big one later on.. but.. not too hard, of course..


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